The recent reports come after the DA found Cosmo Junior Primary School in Johannesburg reportedly has 92 Grade 1 learners in a single classroom.

“We remain committed to transparency and ensuring every learner is placed in a suitable learning environment. We are on course to alleviate pressure from all identified schools.

“Schools are proceeding with the self-build classroom project and new schools will also be introduced across the province accordingly,” said Chiloane.

Gauteng Education Department (GDE) spokesperson Steve Mabona said the ongoing reports of high-pressure schools are misleading as the public was informed about this issue.

In addition, the department announced plans to alleviate pressure on affected schools.

The GDE also consistently updated the public regarding placement challenges and interventions to mitigate capacity in schools during the placement period last September.

“The GDE clearly stated that it had identified schools that received an overwhelming number of applications, which exceeds the capacity of learners that they are able to accommodate.

“Such schools are regarded as high-pressure schools, and the areas they reside in were termed as high-pressure areas,” said Mabona.

The department identified 292 primary schools in Gauteng regarded as high-pressure schools, including 277 secondary schools.

Among these high-pressure schools is Laerskool Akasia. The school can only accommodate 240 Grade 1 learners, but received 1475 applications of the same grade.

Hoërskool Langenhoven received 3081 Grade 8 applications, but has space for 300 Grade 8 learners.

The DA further discovered Randvaal Primary School in Sedibeng has 53 Grade 1 learners in a single classroom, while dealing with outdated infrastructure.

The party’s revelations follow a viral video on TikTok, where a teacher from the school decried of teaching an overcrowded class.

“Today I welcomed quite a few new kids in my class, and I am sitting on 53 Grade 1 learners in a class. I had to resort to using some Grade R tables, because I don’t have enough tables and chairs of my own. The sad part is, I know there are teachers that have more than 70 kids in their class,” she said.

https://www.tiktok.com/@teacherlandi/video/7462343325966814469?_t=ZM-8trufyxa67T&_r=1

The DA revealed the school desperately needs additional infrastructure and more teaching staff.

Despite the DA urgently demanding the GDE to resolve overcrowding, the department has enforced several interventions to assist high-pressure schools.

These include the provision of mobile classroom units and transferring of funds to schools for self-build classroom projects, among others.

Mabona acknowledged that some learners were not placed in their preferred schools due to space constraints. However, they were placed in the next closest schools with available space.

He further denounced claims that the department will build over 4000 satellite schools, however, they are set to provide 4417 additional spaces in high-pressure areas.

“As the department, we must correct the assertion that we said we will build over 4000 satellite schools. It is important to mention that some of these satellite schools have started to operate, while we complete building the remainder.

“In the interim, some schools are over-capacitated while waiting for completion of said schools,” said Mabona.

The DA in Gauteng has submitted written questions to the GDE inquiring about the status of the satellite schools.

The Star

hope.mafu@inl.co.za